Metabolic Explorer Bio-PDO Program Achievements and Schedules

Published on 2008-09-05. Author :
SpecialChem

METabolic EXplorer has developed three cost-competitive
bulk chemical production programs for which the company has already created
tailored cell factories. These significant advantages are derived from
the company's unique integrated and proprietary technology platform. METabolic
EXplorer, in 2007, started small with bio-production at lab scale and
has more recently moved into the pre-industrial pilot phase for business
partnerships.

1,3 Propanediol (PDO), Butanol and 1,2 Propanediol (MPG) METabolic
EXplorer's best-in-class bioprocesses applied to renewable feedstock
enables the company to achieve a cost reduction of over 30% when compared
to the existing chemical process.

1,3 Propanediol (bio-PDO) produced with a high purity standard (superior
to 99.5%) is a cost competitive alternative to other sources of PDO.
This non-petroleum specialty glycol can also serve the coatings and
resins industry.

Butanol where METabolic EXplorer is more focused on the chemical
intermediate in plastic or acrylic industries markets.

The METEX bio-PDO program is on schedule:

In January 2008, METabolic EXplorer announced that a licensed patent
had been granted in the U.S.A. (Patent No US 7,267,972) covering a
method for producing PDO using crude glycerin, a by-product of the
bio diesel supply chain and any crude glycerin obtained from renewable
sources. A patent covering this PDO production method has already
been granted in Europe. METabolic EXplorer also filed a Patent Cooperation
Treaty (PCT) application for its first purification patent, and this
patent also concerns the PDO project. The PCT application reserves
the rights of METabolic EXplorer to file the patent application in
more than 80 foreign countries that are members to the treaty. This
patent, once granted, will provide protection of the PDO process economics
and the method developed will allow METabolic EXplorer to deliver
its first samples.

In May 2008, METabolic EXplorer announced that it obtained the first
samples of one of its proprietary products, PDO (1,3-propanediol).
These samples, with a purity above 99,5%, have been produced by fermentation
of crude, industrial glycerol (83%purity grade), followed by a proprietary,
patent-protected purification step.

By the end of 2008, METabolic EXplorer will have produced quantitative
samples of PDO for testing and qualification purposes in all the different
areas of utilization of PDO. Those samples will be produced through
the pre-pilot scale facility built by METabolic EXplorer.

In the second semester of 2009, METabolic EXplorer will run a significant
piloting plant (which will be large enough to prove the industrial
and business feasibility of Metex PDO technology) for its bio-PDO,
using proprietary fermentation and purification processes from industrial
crude glycerine.